(a) (1) Whenever the Delaware River and Bay Authority proposes or agrees to undertake a project (as defined in Article II of the Delaware-New Jersey Compact set out in § 1701 of this title), to be located in the State or in the Delaware River or Bay, the Authority shall submit an environmental impact statement (as defined in § 7002(c) of Title 7) with respect to the project for review by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control shall make a determination of whether said project could comply with the environmental laws and regulations of the State and shall utilize standards and criteria as called for in § 6036 of Title 7 to determine if said project shall be considered to be a project of state significance. Any project reviewed by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control which is to be located in the Delaware River or Bay shall be deemed to be a major project. Any commerce facility or development located in the State shall also be deemed to be a major project.

(2) Any project determined to be a project of state significance shall be deemed to be a major project (as defined in Article II of the Delaware-New Jersey Compact set out in § 1701 of this title). The Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control shall convey this determination to the Executive Director of the Delaware River and Bay Authority.

(b) The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control shall give public notice and hold a public meeting at which the proposed project will be reviewed. The public notice shall provide a description of the nature of the project and shall be publicized in a newspaper of general circulation in each of the counties at least 15 business days prior to the scheduled meeting date. A public notice and public hearing by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control at the state level shall not be required where the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control upon initial review of the proposed project determines that the project is a major project or that the project will not require any permit or approval from any state agency.

(c) The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control project review process provided for in this section shall be completed prior to the date of publication of the notice relating to the project provided for by § 1725 of this title.

(d) The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control may undertake its obligations hereunder through its Development Advisory Service or such other unit of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control as its Secretary may designate.

(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any project undertaken by the Delaware River and Bay Authority in connection with a crossing (as defined in Article II of the Delaware-New Jersey Compact set out in § 1701 of this title).

(f) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any transportation facility, terminal facility or commerce facility or development project (as defined in Article II of the Delaware New Jersey Compact set out in § 1701 of this title) undertaken by the Delaware River and Bay Authority in the state of Delaware which has been proposed to the Delaware River and Bay Authority by the Governor and has received legislative approval pursuant to § 1726 of this title.

67 Del. Laws, c. 253, § 1; 72 Del. Laws, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 258, § 50.